Through a Glass Darkly: the world of mathematicians

arxiv.org

19 points·hhm··6 comments

It is by logic we prove, it is by intuition that we invent. — Henri Poincare

It's very encouraging to hear that proving theorems is difficult for real mathematicians too.

Reading mathematics is always a huge ruse. Every part of it is designed to make years of sweat and blood look like a 15-second insight of vast subtlety.

By design, of course.

Summary: A private college math head considers the existential, professional and communication problems peculiar to mathematicians.

"There are probably rather fewer mathematicians who conceive of themselves as artistic mathematicians."

I know there are a number of people on HN running around who are accomplished mathematicians. I'm curious if they know of any mathematicians around who think of themselves as "artistic mathematicians" and focus on communication with laypeople of the deeper parts of math.

Who around tries to sell math?

I couldn't say I'm a mathematician myself (or in any case I'm an amateur), but I try to sell math in courses, conferences, and so on. I really love maths and I believe in their beauty and power, and I always try to show that. Or actually, rather than trying to show that, it's that I just can't stop relating the things I like to mathematical matters.

I try to sell math but in a more literal sense - as something my software runs on. And yes, I have to "focus on communication with laypeople of the deeper parts of math" (nothing artistic though). Very different from when I did pure math. And it is tough. But not as tough as teaching calculus to undergraduates...

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